TOLL FREE: 888-457-1147 | LOCAL: 216-241-1901

Doctors Over Prescribing and Under Treating Nursing Home Patients

A study in the Journals of Gerontology found that a whooping 71% of new nursing home residents receive some kind of psychoactive drug. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that most of these residents had no psychiatric diagnosis or treatment prior to being admitted the nursing home. The study also found that 15% of residents were taking four or more psychoactive medications while only 12% were getting nondrug treatments like behavioral therapy.

The over prescription of psychoactive drugs is a recipe for disaster, especially with elderly patents. Nursing home residents already take an average of 7-8 prescription medications. Piling on one or more psychoactive drugs on top of other prescription medications only increases the risk of adverse drug interactions, leading to even more health problems and hospitalizations.

Clearly doctors are over relying on psychoactive drugs when treating elderly patients. But why? How exactly did we get here?

Some experts believe the lure of a “quick fix” is to blame. A pill is a quicker and simpler intervention than repeated consultations with psychiatrists, psychologists or other mental health experts. “I suspect what happens is, at 3 a.m. Mrs. A. starts yelling in her bed. The aide tries to calm her down and can’t, so the nurse calls the consulting physician and gets Mrs. A on a tranquilizer — and she stays on it, whether or not she needs it,” psychologist Victor Molinari told the New York Times.

How can you protect your loved ones who are living in nursing homes? Keep track of the drugs they are taking and monitor the effects of the medications. If your elderly relative is more confused after a change in his or her drug regimen, be sure to tell the director of nursing, not the aide. While aides provide the bulk of hands-on care, they do not have authority to make medication changes. Also try to attend planning conferences so that you can raise any concerns about the patient’s care with the staff.

If you live in Ohio and have had a family member who has been mistreated at a nursing home, consider contacting an experienced lawyer who knows about medical malpractice and nursing home abuse and who can advise you and your loved ones of their rights.